Elevator door operator



SePf- 26, 1944- I R. s. PEELLE 2,358,994

ELEvAToR noon oPERAToR Filed July 24, 1943 4 'Sheets-sheet g j l I''/////////////f///J///fl//n P05/rer Psa-us,

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R. s. PEELLE ELEYATOR DOOR OPERATOR Filed July 24, 1945 ,4 Sheets-Sheet'3 E065@ 7' 6I Pff/ 1. E,

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Sept. 26, 1944; R s PEELLE 2,358,994

ELEVATOR DOOR OPERATOR Filed July 24, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 160551275Pfam,

1;@W/fff TTOP/VE X Patented Sept. 26, 1944 ELEVATOR DOOR OPERATOR RobertS. Peelle, Hollis, N. Y., assignor to The Peelle Company, Brooklyn, N.Y., a. corporation of New York Application July 24, 1943, Serial No.496,257

7 Claims. (Cl. 187-52) My present invention relates to operators forelevator doors, the same being more particularly adapted to operatedoors known to the trade as counterbalanced doors with the doors beingcomprised of two sections movable in opposite directions vertically andin substantially the same plane. The door sections are mounted withinthe elevator shaft and are guided in their vertical movements by meansof guide rails secured to the walls of the elevator shaft with the guiderails being located adjacent the jambs of the respective openings. Eachlower section of each door is connected, at its sides, to its respectiveupper section by means of chains passing over sheaves which are mountedin housings fastened to the guide rails.

Operating devices have heretofore been used which are either locatedabove the travel of the elevator car, or located at each of the doors.Operators geared directly to the sheaves have also been used. All ofthese operators require extensive electrical wiring together withelaborate panel boards with their switching and reversing equipment, andalso extensive mechanical hookups are required from the operators to thedoors.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an operatormechanism which is carried on the under side of the elevator carplatform, and which is adapted to engage and open or close any one of aseries of doors Without the necessity of using extensive mechanicalhookups or wiring.

A second object of the invention is the provision of an operating devicewhich moves into and out of engagement with a part of the door, theoperator being actuated through electrically connected push buttonslocated within the elevator car.

A third object is the provision of a geared rack bar or the equivalentthereof having one part secured to one section of the door and with asecond part thereof being slidable within the iirst part, and with theslidable part having means carried thereby for latching the door inclosed position.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an operatingmechanism which eliminates the necessity of using a retiring cam inconnec-n venting injury to any of the parts thereof through quickstarting and stopping operations,

Other objects and advantages of the invention will suggest themselves inthe course of the following description, and that which is new will bepointed out in the appended claims.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, reference ismade to the accompanying four sheets of drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a shaft side elevation of a door having a portion of thedevice in connection therewith.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the meeting rails of the door,taken on line 2-2 of Figure l. l

Figure 3 is a detail section through the right jamb of an opening andshowing the guide rail members and a portion of the door, as taken online 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail of the portion of the device which issecured to the door and showing the same in connection with anelectrical interlocking device.

Figure 5 is a detail plan section,`taken on line 5 5 of Figure 4,showing the guide for the lower extending portion of the device which issecured to the door.

Figure 6 is a detaill section taken on line 6-6 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a detail section, taken on line l-l of Figure 6, showing therear side of the latch member with the same being shown in latchingposition.

Figure 8 is a detail similar to Figure 7 except the latching member isshown in disengaged position.

Figure 9 is an elevational detail showing the operator and associatedparts as being secured to the under side of an elevator car platform andwith the same lbeing shown in neutral or disengaged position.

Figure 10 is a detail elevation similar to Figure 9y except theoperating mechanism is shown in driving position.

Figures 11 and l2 are detail elevations taken from lines Il-II and |2-I2of Figures 9 and 10 respectively.

Figure 13 is a detail elevation showing means of frictionally applyingpower to the driving sprocket, taken on line I3-I3 of Figure 10.

Like characters designate like parts throughout the several views.

In order that the construction, the operation, and the advantages of theinvention may be more fully understood, I will now take up a detaileddescription thereof in which the same will be more fully described.

Referring now to the drawings'in detail, I and 2 designate the upper andlower panels respectively of the door. The upper panel is secured in theframe 3, and thev lower panel is secured in Y the frame 4. Members 5 aresecured to the upper surface of the lower section of the door to providesupport for trucks between the building iloor and the elevator carplatform. A trucking or reinforcing angle 6 is built into thelower'section with the horizontal portion 6 thereof being ofsubstantially the same length as the width of the door section and withthe vertical leg thereof exe tending therebeyond and forming `theportions 6".

The sections of the door are guided in their vertical movements by meansof the guide rails 1 and 8 with each of the rails 1 being rigidlysecured to the wall A or to a frame jamiel member B by means of screwsor bolts 9. Guide shoes I0, having guide rail engaging slots formedtherein, are

VThe upper and lower sections of the door are secured in connectedrelation by means of chains or other suitable iiexible means I4 and rodsI5, with the ilexible members extending over sheaves It which aresecured to their respective guide rails Yby means of the housings I1.One end of each of the flexible members is secured in a chain fastenerI8 which is secured to the frame member of the upper section. Each ofthe rods I5 is adjustably secured, at its lower end, to the extendedportion of the reinforcing angle 6 through a lug rigidly secured to oneof the reinforcing angle eX- tensions 6, and extends downwardlytherefrom. The lower end of the guide 2I is braced from the wall A bymeans of bracket 22, with roller 23 providing means reducing frictionbetween the gui-de and the bracket. Rollers 24 bear against the sides ofthe guide 2| and prevent lateral movements of the guide.

A shoulder screw 58, extending through a slotted hole in channel guide2I and being threaded into channel 25, as shown in Figures 6, 7, and 8,provides means limiting the vertical movement of channel 25 withrelation to channel guide 2|.

Channel 25, carrying the rack-forming linkage 26, is slidable verticallywithin guide 2l. A hook 21 is welded or otherwise suitably secured tothe upper end of channel 25 and extends over the reinforcing bar 6". Alatch 28 is pivotally mounted on an angle 29 which is rigidly secured tothe bar 6, as shown in Figures 6, 7, and 8. A compressionspring l3I isprovided to force the latch into engagement with the interlockingdevice.

The interlocking vdevice is comprised of the case 32 having an incline33 formed at the lower end thereof. A swingable arm 374, pivoted onscrew 35, is located within the case and carries contact bar 36 into andout of electrical contact with the contact posts 31. The contact postsare connected electrically into the elevator control circuitby means ofwires 38.

The operating mechanism comprises the motor 39 which is rigidly securedto the under side of the elevator car platform C, the motor 49, thereducer 4 I and the sprocket 42, which are mounted on the swingableplate 43 having the shaft 44 secured thereunder and with the ends of theshaft 44 being jo-urnalled in supporting brackets 45 which are rigidlysecured to the under side of the elevator car platform C. A crank arm 46is secured lto the shaft of motor 39 and is revolvable with the shaft.Link 41 is revolvably secured on the crank arm pin. Shaft 48 is rigidlysecured to the under side of plate 43 and projects there-v beyond andforms a trunnion for the link 49. A exible linkage 5D is connected, atits upper and lower ends, to link 41 and link 49 respectively.

VThe reducer 4I has sha-ft 5I projecting from one side thereof whichVcarries sprocket 42. Sprocket 42 is not rigidly secured to shaft 5| butis frictionally engaged by Washers 52 through the friction plates 54.Each of the washers 52 has a slot 52' formed therein and is revolvablewith the shaft by reason of pins 53 extending through the shaft andintovthe slots 52', as shown in Figure 13. A compression spring 55 bearsagainst the outer Washer 52 with the compression of the spring 55 beingadjustable by means of the nut 56, A pin 51 maintains nut 56 in its`adjusted position.

In the operation of the device, the elevator car is stopped at a floorlanding adjacent a door. Constant pressure open and closel pushbuttons(not shown) lare located in the elevator car for controlling motors 39and 4U which operate simultaneously with each other. When the motors areenergized, crank arm 46, being secured to the shaft of motor 3 9,carries linkage 50 therewithl and tilts the platform plate 43 which ispivcted in brackets`45 from the position shown in Figure 9 to theposition shown in Figure 10. The sprocket 42, being revolved by shaft 5Iin a clockwise direction, engages the rack 26 causing the same to movedownwardly and carrying channel 25 therewith. With `the initial downwardmovement of channel 25, hook 21 'engages latch 28 and pivots the same tothe position shown in Figure 8. When the latch is disengaged, as shownin Figure 8, the swingable arm 34 of the interlocking` de.- viceswingsaway from the contact posts 31 Vand breaks the elevator control circuit,thereby preventing movement of the elevator car until the door is againclosed and the latch 29 engages the lower portion of arm 34 forcing thecontact bar 36 into engagement with contact posts 31. The hook 21, inits downward movement in opening the door, engages the upper surface ofbar 6 and starts a downward motion thereof and causing the lower sectionof the door to move downwardly, As the lower section of the door` movesdownwardly, the upper section moves upwardly by reason of thetwosections being connected by the flexible members I4 and the rods I5.

As the door comes to full open position the motors are deenergized byreleasing pressure on the open pushbutton and the lower section rests onstop members 20. When the motors are deenergized, the plate 43, carryingmotor 40 and reducer4l, moves by gravity from the position shown inFigure 10 to the position shown in Figure 9 thereby disengaging sprocket42 from the rack 26.

When it is desired to close the door, pressure is exerted o-n the closepushbutton and the motors rotate in the reverse direction from that inopening the door. As the motors rotate, the platform 43 is again tiltedto the position shown in Figure 10 and engaging sprocket 42 with rack 26causing the same to move upwardly and thereby closing the door. As thedoor approaches its closed position, the upper portion of latch 28strikes incline 33 forcing the latch outwardly against the compressionof spring 3|. After latch 28 passes the lower portion of the interlockcase the latch is forced toward the interlock case by means of spring 3|with the latch engaging arm 34 and forcing the same toward the contactposts 31, and with the contact bar 36 bridging thereacross andcompleting the elevator control circuit, after which the elevator carmay be moved to another landing.

When the doors are to be opened or closedv there is considerable inertiato be overcome upon starting the door in either direction of travel.When sprocket 42 engages rack 26, the sprocket, being frictionally heldbetween washers 52, is being revolved by means of shaft Until theinertia of the doors has been overcome, the sprocket, being frictionallyengaged by plates 54, revolves at a lower rate of speed than the shaft5|. After the inertia of the door has been overcome, the speed of thesprocket then approximates the speed of the shaft. The friction platesprovide means permitting the sprocket to absorb sudden shocks as thesame is moved into engagement with the rack 26.

The bracket 22, together with the roller 23, prevents the guide 2| frombeing forced away from the sprocket and rollers 24 prevent canting ofthe door by preventing lateral movements of the guide 2|.

While I have shown the rack as being comprised of chain 26 secured inthe channel 25, a conventional geared rack may be substituted therefor,and a conventional spury gear substituted for the sprocket.

It is to be understood that I am not to be limited to the exact form andarrangement of the parts herein shown and described, but that minorchanges may be made, insofar as the changes may fall Within the scope ofthe appended claims.

Having now fully shown and described the invention, what I claim, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In combination with a two section bi-parting elevator door operatingvertically in guides secured to an elevator shaft wall, a rack securedto one of the sections and carried thereby, an operating mechanismtiltably secured to the ,under side of an elevator car operating in theshaft and movable into and out of engagement with the rack andtransferring motion therethrough to the door, and a guide member securedto the elevator shaft wall and engaging the rack assembly and'maintaining the same in alignment and preventing canting of the doorwhen motion is transferred to the door.

2. In combination with a bi-parting door having an interlocking devicemounted adjacent thereto, a rack guide rigidly secured to and carried byone section of the door, a rack slidably positioned in the rack guide,means limiting movement of the rack with relation to the ra-ckguide, alatch member carriedby the door and engaging the interlocking device,and a hook rigidly secured to the upper end of `the rack and en-.gageablewith the latch member and providing means of unlatching thedoor and simultaneously breaking the interlocking electrical circuitthrough disengagement of the latch member from the interlocking device.

3. In combination with a -bi-parting door mounted in vertical guidessecured to an elevator shaft wall, an interlocking device secured to oneof the vertical guides, a rack slidably mounted in a guide secured toand carried by one section of the door, a latch member secured to andcarried by one of the door sections and adapted to engage theinterlocking device, a hook rigidly secured to the upper end of therack, with downward movement of the rack engaging the hook with thelatch member and disengaging the latch member from the interlockingdevice and breaking the interlocking circuit and permitting the door tobe opened.

`4. In combination with an elevator landing door, a rack secured to thedoor, an elevator car, an operating mechanism secured under the elevatorcar platform, said operating mechanism comprising one motor rigidlysecured to the under side of the elevator car platform with a second`motor -being mounted on a pivoted plate with said pivoted'plate beingsupported by brackets secured to the under side of the car platform, areducer in connected relation to the second motor and with a sprocketcarried by the reducer, a linkage extending from the first motor to the`pivoted plate, and with the rotating motion of the rst motor tiltingthe pivoted plate until the sprocket engages the rack.

5. In combination with an elevator car operating in an elevator shaft,doors mounted between guides secured to the shaft walls, a rack securedto a portion of the door, an operating mechanism, said operatingmechanism comprising a motor rigidly secured to the elevator car and asecond motor mechanism pivotally secured in brackets secured -to theelevator car, a linkage extending between the rigidly secured motor andthe mounting of the second motor and with the rotation of the rst motorexerting a pull on the linkage and pivoting the second motor mechanismwith relation to the elevator car, a sprocket carried by the secondmotor mechanism, and with the pivotal action ofthe second motormechanism engaging the sprocket thereof with the rack member.

6. In an elevator hatchvvay, an elevator car movable upwardly anddownwardly in said hatchway, landing openings in the latchway walls,biparting doors closing said landing openings, a rack secured to andcarried by one section of said doors, a door operating mechanismtiltably supported by means of brackets under the elevator car, atoothed member carried by the tiltable operating mechanism, means iXedlysecured under the elevator car providing means tilting the operatingmechanism by means of a linkage extending therebetween, and with thetilting action of the operating mechanism moving the toothed door beingcomposed of upper and lowersections yoperating in substantially the`same plane, an

electric interlock secured A"to one Aof the guides and locatedadjacentthe upper ydoor section, a latch carried by *the lowermost doorsectionand engageable with the electric interlock, a downwardlyextendingrack guide rigidly secure'dto the lowermost door section, a rackslidably mounted .in the rack guide, means limiting the movement of therack with relation to the rack guide, with the movement of the rackdownwardly disen- :gaging the latch from the electric interlock, dooroperating means pivotally mounted to the under `side of the elevatorcar, and with the pivotal action of the operating meansengaging theoperating means with the rack and imparting motion yto the door'therethrough.

ROBERTS. PEELLE.

